18 November 2019, 14:50 (AEDT)

INTRODUCING MCINTYRE. SUSTAINABLEMERINO KNITWEAR AND BASICS FOREVERY SEASON.

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Designing timeless knitwear from their South Melbourne studio, design duo Ned Schofield andRaquel Boedo Van De Graaf are the creative forces behind Australian luxury merino brand,McIntyre.

McIntyre is a family affair, and the idea was quite literally born on the land. Ned and Raquel aremarried and, spent a year working at the family’s Victorian farm Glenoe, upon their return toAustralia after living abroad. During this time, the duo contemplated why, in a country wherepremium wool in abundance, the majority of raw fibres are shipped overseas, only to be re-imported as fully finished fashion garments.

Raquel's background in fashion combined with her passion for European design and luxurygarments is evident in McIntyre, a brand that celebrates Australia's pastoral heritage whilereframing it through the lens of contemporary International design. McIntyre’s distinctiveapproach has seen them picked up by prestigious retailers including Melbourne’s NGV DesignStore and in Japan, McIntyre is stocked in stores such as Kagure, Loftman and Co andShinzone.

For Ned, growing up on a Merino property in Victoria's Glenroe meant that that wool fibre hasalways been in his blood. A fifth-generation descendant of merino producer Duncan McIntyre,Ned made the difficult decision to forgo work on the family estate, instead, contributing to hisancestors' legacy through the creation of a fashion and lifestyle brand that shares theesteemed family namesake. And in a full-circle moment, Ned's father Richard regularlycameo's in McIntyre campaigns.

Wool has been essential to my family's lively hood for over 150 years now. It'sthe primary source of income for the farm, and each generation has fine-tunedthe quality of the wool to get it to where it is today. When I was 4 or 5, Iremember sitting on a big pile of freshly shorn wool fleeces in the shearingshed. I used to hang out in there all day while Mum and Dad were working, itwas like my woolly playground in there! With McIntyre, we wanted to create aniconic Australian brand that champions the fact that in Australia, we growaround 90% of the worlds fine apparel wool. That's why at McIntyre all ourgarments are made solely with Australian Merino wool."— Ned Schofield, Co-Founder, McIntyre.

From everyday basics to statement coordinates, McIntyre's range of quality merino pieces aredesigned to be mixed, matched and worn throughout all seasons by people of all ages and allnations. Not only is this advantageous for the sartorially mindful consumer, its kinder to theplanet too, thanks to the inherently sustainable quality of merino wool.

Many people don't realise that for the longest-time in Australia, wool was the fabric of choice ofour farmers. Wool garments were worn for both their cooling properties and durability.According to Woolmark, the global authority on wool, "Wool garments require less washingthan other dominant fibre types and generally, have a much longer life." Some of the othernotable benefits include:

1. Odour-resistant: Merino is naturally breathable and moisture-wicking. In contrast tosynthetics, Merino wool can absorb moisture vapour which means less sweat on your body.Merino wool even absorbs the odour molecules from sweat, only released upon washing.

2. Stain Resistant: Merino wool fibres have a natural protective outer layer that helps preventstains from being absorbed. And because Merino wool tends not to generate static, it attractsless dust and lint.

MCINTYRE ESSENTIALS COLLECTION

McIntyre's latest collection is comprised of the brands' signature minimalist merino sweatersand lightweight merino t-shirts, in addition to a selection of technical knits which demonstratethe many ways in which merino can be manipulated from a design perspective and, adapt to awarm climate.

The Essentials Collection includes merino 'basketball' shorts, coordinate lounge suits andall-season t-shirts and basics in new vibrant colourways steal the show, with theirinnovative use of this versatile fibre, that is suitable for all climates, all year-round.

Wool doesn't need to be boring; it can be fun! I like to use lots of pop colours inour collections to brighten up people's wardrobes. We hope to introduce a newgeneration to wearing wool by offering unique, colourful and luxurious pieceslike our loungewear to the market. — Raquel Boedo Van De Graaf, Co-Founder, McIntyre.

MCINTYRE's Essentials Collection is available November 11, 2019 until sold out, frommcintyremerino.com, NGV Design Store, Modern Classic Shop, Well Made Clothes andselect retailers Worldwide including Japan’s Kagure, Loftman and Co and Shinzone.

Website: mcintyremerino.com

Instagram: @mcintyre_merino

ABOUT THE FOUNDERS

Ned Scholfield grew up in the Southern Grampians area of Victoria on a merino sheep farm.After moving to Melbourne to attend University, Ned then studied abroad in The Netherlands fora year where he met Raquel. Before McIntyre, Ned was the Wholesale Manager for Melbournebag retailer Crumpler overseeing markets including Australia, USA, China, Indonesia,Thailand, and Japan.

Raquel Boedo Van De Graaf grew up in the Netherlands and moved to Australia in 2009.Raquel has always had a keen interest in fashion and design, working in design stores like IMMDesign in Amsterdam and Paris and Pigeonhole in Melbourne.

MEDIA NOTES:- MCINTYRE MERINO retails from $99 - $299.99 AUD

ABOUT DXD AGENCY

HYPE MACHINE since 2008. Australian and International PR and Marketing Services.

- All knitwear featured in campaign/lookbook imagery is McIntyre, other garments are stylistsown- All product available for stylist/media loans

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